I'll Be Watching You
by 2008wingedWheel
Summary: Sam Brown is a young girl who wants to play in the NHL. She finally gets a call-up from her hometown team, the Detroit Red Wings. The only problem? They don't know she's a girl. Will she be able to make it through the season?
1. The beginning

Sam Brown was in the locker room getting her gear on. She was ready for another practice with her friends. It was actually more of a tryout to see who'd make the team and who wouldn't. None of them, her friends or her coaches, however, knew that she was a girl. "Hi, Sam", one of her friends, Jacob Sullivan, greeted her as he entered the locker room. "Hi, Jake! How's it going", Sam greeted him from her locker. "Not bad. How about you", he asked, taking his place by her. "Not bad", was Sam's reply. Jacob grinned and messed up his friend's hair. "Are you ready for another practice", he asked. Sam smirked. "I'm ready to kick your butt", she replied. Jacob's mouth dropped open. "Are you sure about that, squirt? It's more like I'm going to kick your butt", he retorted. Sam shook her head and threw her shoulder pad at him. "Shut up, Sullivan. You're going down today", she replied. Jacob just grinned and handed her shoulder pad back. "Thanks, Jake", she said, putting on her shoulder pad before throwing her jersey on. Jacob laughed and slapped her butt as she stood up. "No problem, buddy. See ya on the ice". Sam winked at him before heading out the locker room door.

"C'mon, Brown! You can do better than that". Sam cringed as her coach yelled at her from the center ice circle. She'd been defending against two of her friends and hadn't done a very good job of it. "Sorry, coach", she mumbled. "Try harder next time, Brown. Take a break", her coach told her. Sam skated to the bench and sat next to Jacob. She took her drink of her water and slammed the bottle back into its place, feeling frustrated with herself. "I think you did pretty good out there, Sam", Jacob said. Sam shrugged. "It wasn't enough to please coach", she replied. Jacob smiled and wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Coach isn't easy to please. Just try it again next time. You'll do fine", he said. Sam finally smiled. "Thanks, Jake", she said. "You're welcome, Sam". "Brown! Are you ready to try that again", coach yelled. Sam glanced at Jacob, who gave her a wink. "Yes, coach. I'm coming", she called back.

Practice was over, but Sam was still on the ice. She always spent some extra minutes on the ice after practice, stretching and cooling off. She hadn't realized that Jacob was watching her. "Yo, Brown! You coming", he yelled. Sam chuckled and made her way to the bench. "Yeah, I'm coming. I was just stretching and cooling down", she replied, grinned at her friend. Just then, coach appeared. "Sam? Can I talk to you for a minute", he asked. Sam nodded and followed her coach to the weight room. Coach placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sam, you're not on the team. You didn't make it. You're too small. I need big players". Sam felt like someone had punched her stomach. "I understand, coach", she said. Coach patted her shoulder and left the room. Sam, after a few minutes, left as well. She made her way to the locker room, where all of her friends were. "Hey, Brownie! You ready for tomorrow", Luke Allen asked. Sam felt her eyes sting with tears. "No, Luke. I won't be here tomorrow", she said, her voice cracking. Jacob stared at her. "What? You won't be here? Why not, Sam", he asked. Sam swallowed hard. "I-I didn't make the team. Coach said that I'm too small", she replied, burying her head in her hands. She felt someone's arms around her. "Coach is wrong. You should have been on the team. We can't all be big players! Should we go talk to him, Brownie", Jacob asked. Sam shook her head. "Don't. I don't want any trouble. I'll accept it, hard as it is", she replied.

Sam smiled when she saw her uncle's car waiting for her. "Hi, Sammy! How did it go", he asked. Sam threw her bag in the trunk. "I didn't make the team. Coach said I was too small", she replied as she got in the car. Her uncle's face turned red. "Why, that's the biggest piece of crap I ever heard. Teams need speed and small player too, not just big ones", he said angrily. Sam grinned and touched her uncle's arm. "It's okay, Uncle Robbie. What's done is done", she said. Rob smiled and messed up his niece's hair. "That's my girl. What do you say we go home and have some of my special pasta", he asked. Sam nodded in agreement. "Okay! Let's go", she said.

It was later that day that Uncle Rob got a call from his friend, Daniel Miller. "Hi, Danny". "Hi, Rob. I'm calling about your nephew". Rob smiled. "Sam? What about him", he asked. "I saw his play on tapes for those tryouts that he did. He's a great player". "Thanks, Danny. He didn't make it". "I'm sorry to hear that. But that's what I was calling about". Rob felt his heart beat quicken. "What for?" "Well, you know how I'm a scout for the Detroit Red Wings? I had been scouting that tryout for a while. And I noticed your nephew almost instantly. He's like Zetterberg: he keeps the puck away from other players, he's got speed and he seems pretty good defensively. I was thinking that if he didn't make it, he might come to training camp with us. Coach Babcock-I showed him the tapes-he agreed". Rob almost fainted. "Are you serious? When would you leave?" "Tomorrow morning I think". Rob almost leaped for joy. "I think he'd like that. Can I call you back? I wanna talk to him". "Sure! Call me as soon as you get his answer!" Rob hung up and went to find Sam. Sam was in her bedroom, listening to her iPod. Rob tapped her shoulder. Sam looked up and pulled out her earphones. "What's up, Uncle Robbie". Rob sat on the bed. "Do you remember me talking about my friend Daniel Miller", he asked. Sam pushed herself up, leaning her head against the wall. "That scout for the Red Wings? Sure I remember". Rob grinned. "Well, he called me just a few minutes ago. He was wondering if you'd be interested in coming to training camp with them. He watched your tryout tapes and he said you're a great player". Sam didn't answer for several minutes. "Are you kidding me? Of course I want to go! I've been dreaming about this forever", she finally said, getting up from her sitting position and jumping on the bed. Rob laughed, watching his niece for a few minutes before he went to the telephone. "Danny? It's a go. He's going alright". "Good! Would it take you that long to drive up there?" "Na. maybe three to four hours at the most. We'll be there. See you tomorrow, Danny!" The two old friends hung up.

Sam, after she heard the news, started to jump on the bed. –I can't believe it! I'm actually going! Training camp, preseason, regular season, playoffs! It'll be great-she thought to herself. She quickly dialed her best friend-Emily Black's-number. "Hello?" "Emily! Have! I! Got! News! For! You", Sam practically yelled into the phone. "You made the team? That's awesome, Sam". "No, Emily. I didn't make the team. I'm on a higher level than that". "I don't under- oh my gosh! You're in the NHL". Sam laughed. "Yep, I sure am. I'm going to training camp tomorrow for Detroit! So excited". "I am too! Sam, that's awesome!" The two friends talked for a little while longer before they hung up. Sam raced out to the family room and jumped into her uncle's arms. "I'm going! I'm going", she yelled. Rob grinned at his niece. "Yes, you are Sam. Now we should get to bed. We're going to be getting up early you know".


	2. The locker room

It was around 7:15 the next morning when Sam's alarm went off. She groaned and rolled over, stopping it. Then, her tiredness vanished and she hopped up. Today was one of the most exciting days in the world for her. –If only daddy was here to see it-she thought. Sam smiled and glanced up at her ceiling. "He's watching, girly. He'll always be watching", a voice from her doorway said. The girl jumped and turned around, only to start laughing to see her Uncle Rob standing in the doorway. "I know. I just miss him", Sam said, tears coming to her eyes. Rob came into the room and hugged his niece. Sam's tears soaked his shirt but he didn't notice or, if he did, he didn't care. "He's watching, you know he is. Let's make him proud". Sam pushed herself off her uncle's chest and looked him in the eye. "Let's go then. All my stuff is packed: I'm just gonna go shower and get dress", she said. Rob agreed and left the room. Sam wiped the tears that were still in her eyes away and prepared to go to training camp.

It was about three hours later that Rob pulled up in front of an arena. Daniel was standing on the sidewalk, obviously waiting for someone. Rob got out of the car first followed by Sam, who went to the trunk to get her bag out. "It's good to see you, Danny", Rob said, shaking his old friend's hand. "Nice to see you too, Rob. And this must be Sam", Daniel said. Sam smiled and shook the scout's hand. "Please to meet you, Mr. Miller", she said, turning on her 'hockey voice'. Daniel looked Sam up and down for a minute. "You look like a forward, right?" Sam nodded. Daniel grinned and wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulders. "Well, we're gonna start training camp in a few minutes. Let's go inside so you can meet the guys", he said. Sam said goodbye to her uncle, who told her he'd pick her up afterwards. Sam followed Daniel inside. "How long have you been playing, Sam?" "I've wanted to be an NHL player for as long as I could remember. Whenever I watched NHL teams win the cup, I've always thought to myself 'I want to be a part of that'. I started playing when I was about four and I've been playing ever since", was Sam's reply. She took a deep breath outside the locker room door. "You nervous", Daniel asked. Sam shrugged. "A little. I'm probably more excited than anything". Daniel opened the door and inside both of them went.

Niklas Kronwall was sitting next to Henrik Zetterberg, his captain. He was excited to be at training camp again-this, he felt, was where he belonged. He heard the door opening again and he saw one of the scouts and a new player who looked nervous. The scout put his arm around the player and whispered to him. He nudged his teammate. "He looks extremely nervous", he whispered. "I know", Hank whispered back. Niklas stood up and went to introduce himself. "Hi, my name is Niklas Kronwall. What's yours", he asked, extending his hand. Sam took his hand and shook it. "Sam Brown", she replied. "You look nervous. Don't worry, none of these guys bite". Niklas watched as the new player smiled a bit. "Oh, good. I don't want any bite marks on me my first time here. It wouldn't be good", Sam said. She soon dropped back into her nervous state. Niklas noticed most of his teammates smiling at the new player, probably remembering the first time they came to a training camp. He noticed Jacab Kindle, one of their young defenseman, staring at Sam. "Nervousness has no place in this league, kid. If you're nervous, get out of here. We don't need any wimps on this team". Niklas's jaw dropped and he noticed Sam's face turning red. He realized the scout had left. Hank gave Jacab a hard stare as did most of the other guys in the locker room. "Shut your mouth, Kindle. He has every right to be nervous. Almost everyone is nervous the first time they come to a team", Hank said. Jacab rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Hank. We don't need wimps in this league. If he's a wimp, we're gonna lose for sure". Niklas noticed tears in Sam's eyes. His heart went out to him and he gave Kindle a glare. He turned to Sam, only to find that he was walking out the door. He turned angrily on his friend. "What the hell was that for, Kindle? You just made him leave and his heart is probably breaking right now. He probably worked hard to get here and now his dream is being shattered because you were a jerk to him. Nice, Kindle, that does a lot for our team", Niklas snapped.

Sam leaned against the wall, her head buried in her hands. She felt like crying but didn't. She wasn't sure what she would do it she didn't make it. It was minutes later that she felt a tap on her shoulder. Sam looked up and saw Coach Babcock standing over her. "You're Sam Brown, right", he asked. Sam nodded. "What are you doing out here in the hallway? I thought you'd be in the locker room". Sam shuttered. "Well, I want to be in there, sir, but one of your players doesn't like me. I was nervous and he said that there's no place for nervousness in this league. He said that if I was nervous I could leave because this team doesn't need wimps". She noticed the angry look that appeared on coach's face. "I'll talk to him. You can change in the weight room. I'll wait for you", he said, helping Sam up. Sam found the weight room and quickly changed into her gear. She came out and followed her coach back into the locker room.

Niklas was back at his locker, angrily chewing his lip. He felt sorry for Sam and mad at his friend. –I don't know what Sam did that made him yell like that. There's been other rookies that have come in and he's been nice to them-he thought. The door opened again and coach came in followed by Sam. He watched Jacab giving her a glare as she took a seat next to Niklas. Everyone was quiet and looked at coach. He started by giving Jacab a hard stare. "I say the same thing every year, don't I? I say the same thing about respecting your teammates", he said. Jacab looked uncomfortable. "This year is no different. The rookies are no different. They are a part of this team just as much as the veterans". Coach now looked at Jacab. "The way that Kindle treated our rookie, Sam Brown, is not an example of respect. That is disrespect and not only that, but it's mean and hurtful". Jacab now met his coach's eyes. "Kindle, if you don't start being respectful to Sam, you will get kicked off the team. I'm not going to tolerate players who are going to respect their fellow teammates". Jacab paled a bit. "Alright, now let's get out on the ice to start training camp".


	3. meeting new friends

20-year-old Megan Johnson took a deep breath as she put her gear on in the locker room. She had just been signed by her hometown team, the Detroit Red Wings, and she was going to practice today- her first practice with them! She was so excited even if it was the start of the preseason, not the actual season.

Valtteri Filppula was messing around with teammates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, better known as the Euro Twins. He loved playing with these two, the way that they always seemed to know where the other was. "You guys aren't giving me a chance to shoot. Two on one isn't fair", he complained. He watched as they exchanged a look, grinning at each other. "You're the one who wanted to try and stop us. It's your fault, not ours", Pavel teased. Val stuck his tongue out at him. "You're mean", he whined although he was smiling. He saw someone standing next to his coach and his eyes widened. IT WAS A GIRL! "Did you know that we had a girl on the team", Val asked in a low voice. Pav and Hank both looked at where their teammate was pointing and frowned. "Must be new", Hank said. Pavel agreed, but Val wasn't paying attention. He was looking at the girl. She was watching practice with a smile on her face. Val noticed that she was paying closer attention to the Euro Twins. –She's beautiful. I'd love to have her on the same line as me. She looks a little on the small side, but if she intently watching Pav and Hank, that must mean she plays their style. Either that or she gets a kick out of watching them play- . He was broken from his thoughts by the coach's whistle. The team gathered around him. "I'm glad to see familiar faces. But, we do have a new face this year. Boys, this is Megan Johnson, forward from Michigan State. This is her first practice with us so treat her nice". Megan smiled and waved shyly. Coach turned to her. "Megan, I want you to play with Pav and Hank for practice. They'll show you the ropes, alright?" The young forward nodded and put her helmet on. "You two, go easy on her", coach said. Val noticed Megan shaking her head. "No, coach. I want them to challenge me. Give me everything they've got", she said. –Dang, not only is she pretty, she's competitive, too- Val thought.

The entire team was staring and Val knew it. It was only her first practice, but both of them had great chemistry. "Two dynamic duos on the same team? That's awesome", Nicklas Kronwall exclaimed. Megan grinned and smacked Val with her stick. "Great! I get to play on the same line as Val. We're so going to kick butt", she said. A grin came over Hank's face and he slapped her helmet. "We kick butt every year", he replied. Megan rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say", she teased.


	4. telling the team

A month and a half passed and Sam was fitting right in with the world of hockey. Her Red Wing teammates were becoming more than just teammates: they were becoming friends and in some cases like Niklas's, they were becoming like siblings. Sam was sprawled out on her couch, watching something on T.V. Her phone went off; it was a text from Niklas. Can we come over? Lizzy has something she wants to give you. Sam said 'yes' and waited patiently for her friends to arrive. The doorbell rang minutes later and Sam happily answered it. "Hi, guys! Come on in", she said. The siblings came in and Lizzy had something in her hand. "I wanted to give this to you when you first came but I forget", the girl said shyly, handing Sam a picture she'd drawn. Sam smiled and took the picture from her young friend's hands. It was a drawing of a Red Wing's jersey and underneath it said: Welcome to Hockey Town. "Oh, Lizzy, this is awesome! Thanks", she said, reaching down to mess up Lizzy's hair. The girl blushed. "Yeah, I draw in my spare time". Whatever else she was going to say was cut off by the sound of the door opening. "Val", she yelled, running towards her friend. Sam and Niklas smiled as Val picked up his friend and placed her on his shoulders. They then went into the family room and spent almost an hour laughing and playing NHL 2010. The whole time, Sam kept thinking about what she was keeping from her friends. After an internal struggle, she finally decided that she needed to tell Niklas, at least. She pulled hard on Niklas's arm. He turned to look at her. "What's up, Sam?" "Can I talk to you in private?" Niklas nodded and Sam led him from the room. She led him into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. "There's something big I need to tell you, Nicky". "Did I do something wrong", Niklas blurted out. "No. No, you didn't do anything. You're fine", Sam replied. Sam paced the room for a minute before sitting down on the bed. "I've kept a big secret from you… all of you. It's weighting me down and I have to get it out". Niklas sat next to his friend and his hand touched her shoulder. "What is it?" "I'm a girl", Sam finally got out. Tears filled her eyes and she turned her head away when she saw her friend's surprised face. She became surprised when she felt Niklas's hand touch her face and turn her head back towards him. "That doesn't change a thing. You're still our teammate but now you're just our little sister instead of our little brother. You're one hell of a player, Sammy", he said, hugging her tightly. Sam relaxed into his hug and calmed down instantly. "You might be comfortable with me being a girl so quickly, but what about our other teammates? They might just ignore me". Nick placed a soft hand under her chin and lifted her head up. "It'll be fine, I promise. If Lizzy knows, it might make it easier for the guys. They love her you know", he said. There was a knock on the door and they heard Lizzy's voice. "Come on in", Sam called. Lizzy entered and looked from one face to the other. "Did something happen", she asked. "Come here", Niklas said, holding out his hand. Lizzy climbed across the bed and crawled into her brother's lap. "Listen to Sam for a minute, sweetheart", Niklas said. Sam took Lizzy's hands in hers and lightly squeezed them. "I wanted you guys to know this right away, but I wasn't sure if you'd believe me. I'm a girl", she explained. Lizzy was surprised for only a minute before a smile appeared on her face. "That's awesome! A girl in the NHL? You're the first". Sam smiled. "I know. It's pretty amazing".

Sam was sweating as she and Niklas made their way to coach's office. They had decided that he was going to be the first to know, after of course Niklas, Lizzy and Val. Val had been in shock for a while but finally accepted it. Niklas saw the nervous look on Sam's face and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "You're going to be fine, Sammy", he said. Sam smiled and bumped shoulders with her teammate. "And if I'm not", she asked, raising an eyebrow. Niklas smiled. "Then you can kick my butt", he replied, causing Sam to laugh. They reached the door of the office and Sam took a deep shuttering breath. Niklas opened the door and they stepped inside. "Coach", Sam said. Coach looked up from some paperwork he was doing. "Hi, Sam. Hi, Kronner". Sam bit her lip. "Coach, there's something I need to tell you", she said. Coach put down his pen and folded his hands, an eyebrow raised. "What is it?" Niklas gave Sam a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "I'm a girl", Sam said. There was silence for a minute. "Well, you are one hell of a hockey player. Girl or not, you've earned your spot on this team", coach said. Sam's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me, right", she asked. "No, I'm not. You're a great player, Sam. You've earned it". Sam could hardly believe her ears. Niklas led her from the office and wrapped her in a hug. "See, you're fine. And you're still on the team. That's awesome, Sammy", he said. A flicker of a smile came over Sam's face. "It is pretty awesome. But will the rest of them accept me? I've kept this from them and it's big", she said, biting her lip hard. She felt a hand under her chin and her face turned up at her friend. "You'll be fine, I promise", Niklas said.

"… and I'm a girl", Sam finished. Everyone in the locker room, except for Niklas and Val stared at her in shock. "A girl? You're a girl, Sam", Hank asked. Sam nodded, tears in her eyes. Hank got up and hugged her. "You're one hell-of-a girl", he said, making Sam blush. It was then that Jacab spoke up. "She's teasing you, Hank. Don't believe that for a second. Girls can't play hockey", he said. Sam scowled and turned to look at him. "First of all, that is an extremely sexist thing to say. Maybe we can't play hockey the same way you guys do, but we still play the sport. Secondly, you have living, breathing prove that girls can play hockey because I'm one of them. I'm in the NHL; I'm playing with the big boys. And if you don't believe me, you can ask Niklas, Val or Lizzy and they will all tell you that I am a girl. And I can also show you my driver's license. So either ask one of them or shut up", she said, crossing her arms. Jacab raised an eyebrow. "You can't talk to me like that. I'm your elder", he said. Sam rolled her eyes. "Being older doesn't always mean you're my 'elder'. I try to treat people with respect, but when you're disrespecting me, I don't like it. So accept the fact that I'm a girl, Kindle, and we can move on". She crossed her arms and gave her teammate a glare. There was silence for a minute before Jacab stood up and walked towards her. "YOU LITTLE BRAT! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST COME INTO THIS LOCKER ROOM AND TAKE OVER OUR TEAM? YOU THINK YOU'RE JUST THAT GOOD? YOU CAN GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW", he yelled, swinging a punch at her. She ducked his swing and got out of the way, while Hank gripped his friend's wrist hard. "What is your problem, Kindle", he asked. "She's a girl, that's my problem. She's a girl and she shouldn't even be here", Jacab replied, trying hard to get out of his friend's grip. "It doesn't matter if she's a girl or not, Kindle. She worked hard to get here, even though she had to pretend to be a boy for a while to do it. This was her dream and she made it here. Nothing you can do about it now", Hank said. Jacab's eyes flashed. "I can talk to coach about it", he said. "Coach already knows. He told me I've earn this spot on this team", Sam replied. Jacab finally broke free of his friend's grip and charged at her again. Sam scrambled behind Niklas and the big defenseman gripped Jacab's wrists even harder than Hank did. "OW! Kronner, that hurts", Jacab complained. "I know it hurts. But Sam feels really hurt by what you said. That hurts us as a team when one teammate disrespects another. So just accept that Sam's a girl and move on". Jacab frowned. "I won't. I'll get her out of here one way or the other", he said. Jonathan Ericsson, Niklas's defensive partner, saw that Niklas was struggling to hold Kindle and came to where his friend was standing. Gently nudging Niklas away, he seized Jacab's wrists and held them hard. Niklas was standing near his locker with his arms around Sam, who by this time was shaking. "You guys are just going to accept the fact that we have a girl on our team", Jacab asked, looking from face to face. Val nodded. "Yes. She's our teammate no matter what and we can't change that", he said. Jacab raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can just always call her daddy and ask him why he allowed his daughter to play hockey". At that, Sam let out a shuttering sob and buried her face in Niklas's shirt. Hank saw that and managed to catch Niklas's eye. Do you want me to take her out? - he seemed to be asking. A nod from his friend confirmed it. Coming over, he gently prided Sam from Niklas's arms. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you out of here", Hank said, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her steady. He led her from the room and Niklas turned to Jacab. "You've got some talking to do, mister".


	5. a protective best friend

Hank let Sam lean against the wall and kept one hand on her shoulder to support her. "Are you okay, Sam", he asked. Sam bit her lip. "Yeah, I guess. Sorry about what happened in there. It's just…" Her voice trailed off and Hank waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts. "My dad died six months ago from cancer", she finally said, her voice a low whisper. Hank wrapped her in a hug instantly. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. It's been tough on you, hasn't it", he asked. "Yeah, it has. He was my first coach, he taught me how to play the game. We were so close and when he got sick…" Her voice cracked and Hank felt her shiver. "You don't have to talk about it, Sammy. It's fine". He felt Sam stiffen and got scared when she ran from him. He followed her into the weight room and saw her leaning over the garbage can. She was throwing up and when she finished she sank to the floor. He saw her pale face, sweaty forehead and her shaking hands. He handed her a room-temperature 7-up and she smiled. "Thanks, Hank". Her older teammate sat next to her and stroked her hair. "You're welcome, baby girl. Do you wanna go home", he asked. Sam nodded, her eyes blurry. "I'll be back in a minute. Sit tight, okay?"

Niklas was full of worry when only Hank came back to the locker room. "Is she okay", he asked. Hank shook his head. "I'm taking her home. She got sick and looks awful". Coach was talking to Jacab and gave Hank and Niklas permission to leave. "Just make sure you come back", he said. Niklas and Hank went to the weight room and Sam was right where Hank left her. Niklas knelt on the floor next to her. "Sam? Come on, sweetheart, let's get you home", he said. When he noticed how badly Sam was shaking, he knew the only way to get her to the car was to carry her. "Hank, can you go and get the car?" Nodding, the Swedish superstar went off. Niklas brushed the sweaty hair from his friend's face and Sam leaned into him. "I can't walk that far", she said. "I know. That's why I'm carrying you there". Picking her up in his strong arms, Niklas made it outside just as Hank pulled up. He helped her into the car and then climbed in after her. The whole way there, Sam kept her head against his shoulder and Niklas just kept stroking her hair. Her eyes were full of tears and Niklas was now really mad at Jacab. They reached her house and Niklas carried Sam inside. They made her comfortable and Niklas sat on the edge of the couch, holding Sam's hand in his. "Are you going to be okay if we leave", he asked. Sam nodded. "I should be", she replied, raising an eyebrow at her teammate. Niklas shook his head. "Why do you keep raising your eyebrows at me", he asked. "You deserve it". Niklas frowned. "Deserve it?" Sam smiled. "You almost ruined Hank's career when you guys were sixteen". Niklas glared up at his teammate. "You jerk! You actually told her that", he demanded. Hank shrugged, a smirk playing along his lips. "I commented that I had known how you hit for a long time. She asked me how so I told her". Niklas rolled his eyes. "You didn't have to tell her". "I can't resist that face of hers. Besides, it made you look like trouble". Niklas sighed and shook his head. "You're trouble, you know that?" Hank grinned. "I know I am". Niklas turned back to look at Sam and saw that she was asleep. Smiling, he squeezed her hand before brushing the hair back from her face. At that moment, Sam's best friend, Emily came in. She turned worried when she saw Sam on the couch. "Oh my gosh! Is she okay", she asked. Hank turned to look at her. "She got sick at practice and had to come home. I think she's worked herself into a nervous state, though". Emily frowned. "Nervous state? Why, what happened?" With help from Niklas, Hank explained what had happened in the locker room. Emily turned from worried to angry. "You've got to be kidding me! He actually said that to her? Take me back with you; I need to talk to him. Hank, call Emma and ask her if she can stay with Sam until I come back". Hank got his cell phone out and went back into Sam's room.

Hank dialed his wife's phone number, hoping that she'd answer. _"Baby, I thought it was practice time? Why are you calling me?"_ "I'm at Sam's house. Kronner and I had to take him home 'cause he got sick before practice." _"Poor thing! Is he okay?"_ "Not sure. I need you to do me a favor". _"Sure, babe. What is it?"_ "Can you stay with Sam for a while? Emily wanted to know. She's coming back with us to talk to Jacab because he said some really mean things to Sam. She just needs you to stay with her". _"What?! Sam's a girl?"_ "Yes. I just found out before practice. Are you mad at her?"_ "No. I understand that she had to be a boy for a while to achieve her dream. Of course I'll stay with her. Tell Emily I'm on my way"_. "Will do. Thanks babe". He hung up and came back. "Emily, Emma said she's on her way. Oh, and she knows Sam's a girl. We all do now. She told us before practice". Emily nodded. "She was so worried about that". Then Emily stroked Sam's forehead, whispered "I'll be back" and walked out with Hank and Niklas.'

Emily stormed into the locker room, followed by Niklas and Hank. Jacab was sitting at his locker, a smirk on his face. "Kindle, get out here now", Emily said, her eyes flashing. Jacab frowned. "Why?" Without bothering to answer, Emily grabbed his arm, jerked him out of his seat, and dragged him out the door. Reaching the hallway, she slammed him into the wall. "Who do you think you are to be saying those things to Sam? You have no right to be saying those things to her", Emily said, her blood boiling. Jacab looked in surprise at Emily. "She's a girl! I had to say those things to her." Emily's hands clenched his shirt. "Listen, Kindle, I don't give a crap if she's a girl or not. She's your teammate and she's staying here. You'd better start treating her like a teammate because if you don't, you're gonna be in big trouble. Besides, you were treating her meanly even before you found out she was a girl, so that's not an excuse". Jacab's eyes narrowed. "Are you my boss?" Emily was close to using her "Ti-Kwan-Do" skills on him. "No, but I am her best friend, almost like a sister to her. So don't mess with her because it won't be pretty. Oh, by the way, I got a black belt taking Ti-Kwan-Do classes, so I know what I'm talking about". Jacab opened his eyes wide. "Is a black belt good?" "Yes, it's very good. Now either shut your mouth about Sam being a girl or you'll totally regret it". Jacab slowly trudged back into the locker room, his head down. Minutes later, Niklas came out to see Emily. "What did you do to him", he asked. Emily grinned. "Just threatened to use my Ti-Kwan-Do skills on him". Smiling, Niklas handed her his car keys. "Use my car to go to Sam's house. I can get a ride with Val". Emily hugged him tightly. "Now don't worry about Sam. Just practice and I'll call you later". With that, she headed down the hallway and walked out of the building.

Sam woke up feeling sick to her stomach. She knew she was going to get sick again. "Emma?" Hank's wife looked over from the chair she was sitting in. "Hi, sweetheart". Sam slowly sat up. "Can you help me to the bathroom? I feel like I'm gonna get sick again." Nodding, Emma helped her friend to the bathroom and held her hair as she spit-up in the toilet. Tears burned Sam's eyes and she sat on her heels, exhausted. Her body started to shake and Emma wrapped an arm around her. "Come on. Let's get you lying down again", she said. She got Sam covered up just as Emily entered the house. "Emily", Sam said in surprise. Her friend smiled and sat on the couch next to her. "Hi, Sammy. Go back to sleep", she said softly.


	6. the fight

It was a few days later that Sam sat on the couch, watching the highlights from the game that night. It was late- almost 12:30- but she wasn't tired. She chuckled as she watched Niklas skating towards her after one of her goals. He looked so happy-his smile was wide. Sam was startled by footsteps in the hallway. Looking up, she saw Kindle standing in the doorway. "Hi, Jacab. What are you doing here", she asked. Kindle raised an eyebrow. "I have a right to be here". Sam frowned. "Whatever". Kindle smirked. "Can't talk to me like that". Sam clenched her fists. "I can and I will. If you're here to be mean, you can just get out". Kindle's face turned dark. "You're not my boss." Sam stood up, eyes flashing angrily. "No. But this is my house and I can say who can be in here and who can't. Now get out", she spat. She was surprised at the hard slap across her face. "You're a brat, you know that?" Kindle punched her lip- causing it to bruise. He continued to attack her until her whole face was bruised. He gripped her arms and shook her so hard that her arms had hand marks on them. He dropped her on the couch, said "You stay away from the locker room or else" and left. All Sam could do was cry. She was hurt-badly hurt. Shakily, she got her phone and dialed Niklas's number. "Squirt, it's late. Why are you calling me", Niklas's teasing voice said. Sam swallowed. "Can I come and stay at your house?" "Why? Sammy, what happened?" Sam took a breath. "Kindle was here. He tried to boss me around and I told him to get out. Then, he attacked me. I have a bruised lip, bruises all over my face, and hand marks-bruises- on my arms. I'm afraid he'll come back." She choked back on tears. "He attacked you?! You've got to be kidding me." Then, Sam started crying. "He threat-threatened me too. He t-told me to sta-stay a-away from the locker room or else h-he's gonna hurt me". "Get your stuff ready, Sam. I'll be over in about ten-fifteen minutes, okay sweetie?" Sam agreed and hung up, her hands shaking badly.

Niklas could not comprehend what he had just heard. Why would his teammate beat up Sam? What had she done to him? He let out several swear words before he was able to get his control back. "Nicky?" Niklas looked up to see Lizzy standing in the doorway, worry in her blue eyes. "Sorry, sweetie. Did I wake you up", he asked. She nodded. "Why were you saying bad words just now?" She came and sat on the couch next to him. Niklas bit his lip. "Sam just called me. She'll be staying here for a while. Kindle came to her house and beat her up", he explained. Lizzy's eyes widened. "He attacked her? Why". "I don't know, sweetheart. He's never liked her-he tried to hurt her before, but we stopped him before he could". Lizzy was quiet for a minute before she pulled her brother's hand. "Are you going to get her?" "Yes". Lizzy slid off the couch and walked into the kitchen. Niklas, getting his coat on, watches her. "What are you doing, baby sis?" "Making food for Sam. I'm sure she'll be hungry". Niklas smiled. "Good thinking, sweetie. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Sam is waiting by her front door for Niklas. She's got an ice pack on her lip to keep the bruising down. She paces the hallway, trying to stop the new flow of tears. This hurt in more ways than one: she felt betrayed by her teammate. She heard her friend's car pull up and picked up her bag. She threw it in the trunk and got into the passenger's seat. "Let me see your bruises, sweetheart", Niklas said. Sam turned her head toward her teammate and watched as a gasp came out of his mouth. "HE DID THAT TO YOU?! YOU'RE KIDDING ME! He's so getting it at practice tomorrow", Niklas said. Sam could only cry the whole way to her friend's house. When they arrived, Niklas grabbed her bag and kept an arm around her waist as they made their way to the house. Lizzy, who was setting food on the table, looked up as they came in. "Hi, Sammy", she said. Sam smiled. "Hi, baby girl". Lizzy raced from the kitchen into her friend's arms as Niklas put Sam's bag in the living room. "I made you some food thinking you might be hungry", Lizzy said as she looked over Sam's bruises. Sam patted Lizzy's cheek and allowed her to lead her into the kitchen. Niklas came in a few minutes later and Lizzy went to him. He threw her up onto his shoulder and carried her into the kitchen.

Sam was worried as she walked down the locker room with Niklas the next day. He was the only one of their teammates who knew what happened to her. Niklas gave Sam's hand a hard squeeze. "You'll be fine. I promise", he said. "Thanks, Kronner", Sam said. The door opened and the two of them walked inside. Hank, Pavel, Val, and Johnny were the only ones there. They all looked up when the two friends stepped in. "Sam! What happened to you", Hank asked worriedly. Sam swallowed. "Kindle. He came to my house last night. We got into an argument and then he attacked me", she explained. "HE ATTACKED YOU?! YOU'RE KIDDING ME", Val said in disbelief. "No. It's true. He attacked me", Sam replied. Tears came to her eyes and Niklas pulled her into a hug. Johnny looked ready to kill someone and the rest of them looked worried and angry. "Can you play", Pavel asked. "I think so. I'm not sure yet". Hank gestured her over and Sam stood in front of him. "You don't have a black eye so you can at least see. That lip looks bad". Sam sat next to him at her locker. There was small talk for a while before Kindle came in. Johnny instantly grabbed him by the front of the shirt and slammed him into a locker. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT TO HER FOR?! SHE'S OUR TEAMMATE, YOU DUMB OX", he yelled. Kindle bit his lip in fear. "Did you not notice that she's a girl, Johnny", he asked. Johnny shoved him harder. "Of course I noticed! What does it matter if she's a girl or not? She's our teammate and as a team we respect one another. What you did is not respectful", he said, meeting the fearful brown eyes. Kindle looked scared. "Girls don't play hockey". "I don't give three craps what they do or don't do. She is playing hockey. She is playing in the NHL. You'd better respect her from now on or so help me I will rip out your spine", Johnny said, getting close to his face so that Kindle could clearly hear every word he spoke. Kindle paled. "Okay, Johnny. Don't get so worked up about it". Johnny smirked. "Worked up? Of course I'm going to get worked up. Not only is she my teammate, but she's a girl. So be nice to her". He let him go and glanced at Sam. "You okay", he asked. Sam shrugged. "Yeah. I'm okay". Johnny held out his arms and Sam came into them. "Was that a little overkill", Johnny asked. Sam chuckled. "A little. But it got the point across", she replied. The big defenseman smiled and ruffled her hair. "Just let me know if anyone's giving you a hard time". Sam smiled. "Do me a favor, will ya", she asked, winking at him to let him know she was teasing. "Gladly". Sam pointed towards Niklas. "Will you keep an eye on him? He's trouble". Niklas stared at his friend while the rest of the locker room howled in laughter. "Sam?! Really", he asked. Sam smirked and rolled her eyes. "I couldn't resist", she said. At that exact moment, Emma came into the locker room. The smile on her face faded when she saw Sam. "Oh my gosh! What happened to you", she cried out in surprise. Sam glared over at Kindle. "Some jerk over there got into an argument with me and decided he had to attack me to get his point across", she replied, pointing at Kindle. Emma darted across the room and smacked Kindle hard in the face. "You son-of-a-gun! You should know better than to attack women, especially when they have done nothing to you! I hope coach finds out and calls the police on you and you go to jail for that", she spat at him. Her face was red with anger and her eyes were narrowed into slits. Coach came in and looked in surprise at the dark look Emma was giving Kindle. "What happened?" Emma turned to look at him, but Niklas answered for her. "He attacked Sam, coach! He came to her house last night and tried bossing her around. She told him to get out and he attacked her". Coach took one look at Sam's face and angrily turned to Kindle. "My office RIGHT NOW! You can stay there until the police show up. I'm very disappointed in you", he said. He practically dragged Kindle out of the locker room and called the police. Sam's eyes filled with tears. "Why are you crying", Niklas asked in concern. "Kindle is off the team. It's all my fault". Hank glanced at her in surprise from his locker. "Oh, sweetheart, it's anything but your fault! You tried being nice to him but he was having none of it. Don't blame yourself for this", he told her. He got up and pulled her into a hug. Sam smiled, knowing her friend was right.


	7. a hated enemy

It was two weeks that Lizzy was taking a walk with her new dog, Rex. Rex was a 2-year-old Golden Retriever, a big dog. They had gotten him just a week ago, but found that he was very obedient. Lizzy laughed as Rex bit at the snow. "Silly dog", she said. Suddenly, Rex stopped and started growling. "Rex? Buddy, what's wrong", Lizzy asked. She looked up and saw Sidney Crosby, the young Pittsburg Penguins captain. He was staring at her with a look in his eyes that Lizzy noted was trouble. "Why are you staring at me, Crosby", she asked. Sidney smiled. "You're beautiful. Will you be my girlfriend?" Lizzy's eyes narrowed with anger. "I'm only 12, dummy! Even if I wasn't, I would still say no. You're not my type", she replied, stroking Rex's head. A smirk came over Sidney's face. "Everyone loves me", he said. Lizzy tossed her head and kept one hand on Rex's collar to keep him from going after the young captain. "Well, I don't. You're a good player, but you're also a whiner. So stop bugging me, Crosby, and I can go on with my day", she said. Rex growled but didn't move from his owner's touch. Sidney started towards her. "You're just so beautiful", he said. He reached for the girl's face but found himself a minute later on the ground. Johnny was standing over him, his eyes narrowed in anger. "What do you think you're doing, Crosby? Don't you have enough girls to go after back home", he asked. Sidney frowned. "Yes, I do. But this one is so beautiful", he said. Lizzy stood beside her friend and Rex sat in front of her. Johnny put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "She's only twelve, dummy. You don't need to be going after her when she's young like that! Just leave her alone". Sidney slowly got up from the sidewalk, eyeing Johnny carefully. Johnny did the same, carefully watching Sidney to make sure he didn't try anything. With a huff and one last glance at Lizzy, Sidney walked off. Lizzy hugged her friend tightly. "Thanks, Jonte! I thought he was going to hurt me", she said. She gasped as she was pulled backwards by her hair. Crosby's voice came into her ear. "You might only be twelve, but you're beautiful. I'm taking you home with me". Lizzy reached behind her and scratched him hard across the face. Crosby let her go and held his face. "I don't think so", Lizzy said, hands on her hips. Johnny rested a hand on her shoulder and Rex stood in front of her, growling at Crosby. The young forward looked from one face to the other. "Why don't you want to come with me", he asked. Lizzy rolled her eyes. "First of all, dumb head, I'm only twelve. I'm way too young to be thinking about that stuff. And you're trying to take me home against my will; you're trying to force me to come. I usually don't respond to force, but especially when it comes from a complete stranger or a hockey player with a bad reputation. Now leave me alone". She backed up at the look in Crosby's eyes. "I'm not forcing you. I'm asking you nicely", he said. Johnny made some noise in his throat. "It doesn't matter how you're asking her, Crosby! If she doesn't want it, then she doesn't want it. Simple as that. Now LEAVE HER ALONE", he said, stepping in front of his younger friend. His eyes were narrowed and the hand that wasn't resting on Lizzy's shoulder was clenched into a fist. Crosby pales and slowly backs up, casting looks from Lizzy to Johnny. He eventually ran for dear life. Johnny turned to his younger friend, whose face was pale and her body was shaking. He pulled her into a hug and she started to cry. "Jonte, please take me home", Lizzy said. The young defenseman nodded and picked her up in his arms. "Come on, Rex", he said, giving a soft whistle. Half way home, Lizzy asked to be put down. "I can walk, Jonte", she said. Johnny put his friend down and grabbed a hold of her hand. They walked the rest of the way home and Lizzy still had tears in her eyes when they reached her house. Johnny opened the door and all three stepped inside. Niklas was there to greet them and when he saw his sister's face he became concerned. "What happened", he asked. "Crosby", Johnny said. Niklas let his sister bury her face in his chest before looking back up at his teammate. "What did he do", he asked. Johnny explained what happened and Niklas narrowed his eyes in anger. "I'm going to kill Crosby", he muttered. He felt Lizzy's arm around his neck tighten and looked to see her with her eyes closed against his shoulder. He smiled before picking her up and sitting down on the couch with her. –Crosby, you're going to pay for this- he thought.

At practice the next day, Hank was surprised to see Niklas walking in with full-blown anger on his face. "You're almost never this angry! What happened", he asked. Niklas sat at his locker and looked at Hank. He took a deep breath before explaining the insistent that had taken place the day before. "You've got to be kidding me! Crosby did that to her", Hank asked. Niklas nodded. "He's dead", Hank said. When the locker room door opened, the two hockey players were surprised and angry to see Crosby standing there. "What do you want", Niklas asked. "To tell you that I'm in love with your sister". Niklas scowled. "Yeah, well too bad that she's way too young for you. Even if she wasn't, after what you did to her yesterday, I wouldn't let her date you". Crosby smirked. "Too bad you're not in control of her". Hank and Niklas glared daggers at the arrogant young captain. "I know I'm not, dummy! But she's told me many times that you would one of the last people she would date. With all the news about how you treat girls, it's no wonder she wouldn't want to be around you", Niklas said. The only thing that was keeping him from going after Crosby was the tight grip Hank had on his arm. He wanted to with everything he had, but he knew better than to fight his teammate's hold. "What I do to other women is no concern of yours", Crosby said. Niklas clenched his fist, trying the control the rage that was building inside him. "It is if you're including my sister. Being only twelve, she doesn't need people going after her like that. So stay away from her or so help me I will hurt you so bad you won't be able to stand up for days", he growled. Crosby paled and with one last glare at the two teammates, left. When Sam came in a half an hour later, she frowned in concern at her teammate's expressions. "Are you guys okay?" Before either them could respond, Lizzy came running in with a very angry Johnny behind her. Lizzy was crying, her right cheek was swollen and black, purple, and blue, and her left wrist was covered in bruises and hand-marks. "LIZZY! OH MY GOSH, WHAT HAPPENED", Niklas asked in anger. Lizzy ran to her brother and buried her face in his chest, tears running down her cheeks. "C-Crosby went after me", she said. Niklas was livid, but he managed to control his anger and calmed her down. "It's my fault he went after me", she muttered. Niklas placed a soft hand under her chin and gently turned her head up towards him. "Lizzy, it's not your fault. He's been threatened by both Jonte and me, and yet he's continuing to go after you. He's an idiot". Lizzy's head went back to her brother's chest and Niklas's arms went around her. "What's going on with Crosby", Sam asked. The story from the day before and (from Lizzy) what had happened a few minutes ago came out. She started shaking and her brother's arms around her tightened.

"WHAT? YOU ARE KIDDING ME? HE'S SO DEAD", Sam hissed. "Agreed. I'm gonna kill him", Niklas said. Hank had sat in silence for a while, but now he stood up, looking angrier than he'd been in a long time. "He's gonna die right now", he said. But he had barely taken a step before a small hand gripped his wrist. He turned to see Lizzy looking up at him, pain, anger and worry showing in her eyes. "No, Hank. Don't go there. You're above Crosby". Hank removed her hand from his wrist and held it in his. "Lizzy, angel, he hurt you. Heck, he tried to kidnap you. He deserves what he's got coming to him". Lizzy bit her lip. "I know, Hank. I understand that. But, don't stoop down to his level. Threatening him, that's one thing. But actually doing what you said you were going to do, that's another story. If you going to beat him tonight, beat him the way you always do: with skill and finesse. Don't do what he did to me". Her blue eyes searched his face and he softened. "Alright, sweetie. I won't". Everyone in the room agreed… except for Johnny. He seemed hesitant to agree, like he was battling with himself. Lizzy got up from her brother's lap and pulled her friend into the corner. "Jonte, what's wrong", she asked. "I've got an internal battle. On one hand, I get what you're saying. If we stoop down to their level, we are making ourselves just the same as them. On the other hand… I want him to pay for what he did. He shouldn't get away with treating you like that". Lizzy smiled and gripped her friend's wrists gently. "I know, Jonte. I totally get it. He shouldn't get away with it. But if we fight him, he'll be expecting that. He'll know you guys will be fired up and ready for revenge. If we beat them the way we usually do, he won't be expecting it. He'll be surprised. And that might send an even stronger message to them than fists would". Jonte raised an eyebrow and softened when he saw her pleading eyes. "No dirty tricks, no dirty plays. Just play like usual?" Lizzy nodded. "Okay. I guess I can handle that". Lizzy smiled and her friend pulled her into a hug. "Can I punch him one time", Jonte asked. "Just once. Don't tell them (she gestured towards the other hockey players in the room) that I said you could do that", Lizzy replied in a whisper. "Your secret's safe with me"


	8. The cupand a new love life

Soon it was June and the Red Wings were in the finals against none other than their Stanly Cup rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Today was game seven day, each team's last chance to win the Cup. Sam was excited-this was her first game seven. "Ooo, I can feel the nerves in me right now", she said to Hank as they were putting their gear on for the game. Hank grinned. "That always happens before a game like this! You're not worried, are you", he asked. Sam gave her teammate a playful glare. "It's game seven and we're playing Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Of course I'm not worried", she said sarcastically. Hank rolled his eyes. "Looks like you've got a competitor for sassiest Red Wings, Zetta", Niklas said. Hank playfully glared over at him. "Shut up! You know I'm the sassiest one in the room". Niklas raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure", he warned. Hank pouted and Sam wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Aww, Kronner! You made him upset", she scolded playfully. Niklas shook his head. "Sorry, Hank". Hank just smirked at his teammate. "I'm sure you are".

Sam couldn't help the giant grin that appeared over her face as Niklas crushed her in a bear hug. "We did it, Sammy! We've just won the cup", he yelled into her ear. Sam laughed. "Yes we did. You won it for us", she told him, her hands resting on his chest. Niklas smirked what Sam called "that famous Kronwall smirk" and gazed at her face. The feelings for Sam that he had been hiding the past two months were begging to be let out. Sam had her head turned as she was yelling at some of their other teammates. "Sammy", Niklas whispered. Sam turned her head to look at him. "What, Kron…" The nickname for her teammate was cut short when his lips connected with hers. "Wow, what was that", she asked when the kiss ended. "I've wanted to do that for the past two months. I love you, Sam". Sam, after a few minutes of silence, wrapped her arms around her friend's neck. "I love you too, Kronner. I've had feelings for you ever since that night you picked me up from my house after Kindle attacked me", she said. Niklas smirked. "Girlfriend/boyfriend", he asked eagerly. Sam chuckled. "Yes, Kronner, I would love to be your girlfriend", she said as their lips connected once more. "I knew it! I knew that was going to happen", a voice said from behind them. Startled, Niklas and Sam turned their heads to see Val. "Knew what", Niklas asked, looking scared. Val grinned. "I knew you two had feelings for each other! I was waiting to see when this would happen and it did", he replied. Sam blushed. "Don't worry, Sammy! I'm not going to embarrass you or Kronner. I'm sure everyone could see it and knows what happened".

Sam nearly dropped the cup as it was handed to her by Hank. "You earned this, Sam", he said. Sam raised it high above her head and the nearly 1200 fans cheered or chanted her name as she made her way around the ice. –this is a dream come true. I've won the Stanley Cup with Detroit-she thought. She handed to cup to Val, who winked at her before skating off with the cup. "Where's Lizzy", Sam asked Niklas as she took his hand. "By the bench. Let's go see her". Sam smiled when she saw Lizzy jumping up and down on the bench, her smile nearly a mile wide. "Whoa, slow down there, tiger", Niklas said, gripping Lizzy's arms to calm her down, although he was laughing. "I can't help it! I'm so happy", Lizzy said, hugging her brother. As brother and sister celebrated, Sam's thoughts turned to her dad. – I know you're here with me, daddy. I know you can see me right now, celebrating with my team-she thought. Then, she could hear her dad's voice: "I'll be watching you, Sammy. Just know that I'm very proud of you". And Sam smiled, knowing that her dad really was watching her.


End file.
